The Chrysalis Experiment
by Bloodspot
Summary: Life as you know it has come to an end; A tornado has ripped through Arcadia Bay, ending the lives of most of the inhabitants. Not only will they have to fight a deadly chemical that turns anyone it comes into contact with into murderous killers, they'll have to fight hunger, the cold and each other. Who will survive? Post-Apocalyptic AU, more description before the story starts
1. Chapter 1

The Chrysalis Experiment

 _ **A/N:-So, here it is, my second Life is Strange story. First things first, it's an AU so naturally, there's no time powers and a creepy, rapey teacher etc, etc. Aaron may or may not feature in the story, you'll have to wait and see (I know, I'm a bastard)**_

 _ **Just like a majority of my stories, the plot will be long, messy and complicated and I apologise in advance. There will be an underlying plot that will link everyone and everything together but there'll naturally be sub plot amongst the various groups.**_

 _ **As I'm only allowed to highlight four primary Characters, I'm gonna include a larger list here: O.C's, Max, Chloe, Nathan Prescott, Kate, Victoria, Brooke, Warren, Dana, Juliet, Joyce, David Madsen, Zach, Logan, Trevor, Justin, Rachel Amber and Principle Wells. All of the characters have their own part to play and may or may not make it to the end; you'll have to find that out for yourselves.**_

 _ **The first chapter will have a T rating but will most likely change to an M in future chapters due to shit like sex, gore and strong drug use. As of now, it's relatively safe as I'm still building the fundamentals and painting the picture of where everyone is and what the current situation is.**_

 _ **The first few chapters will be mainly exposition and some exploration of the town as well as the characters themselves. If you haven't already, go check out my other LiS fic, I'd appreciate it. Anyway, fasten your seatbelt, grab a drink and some food cus here we go.**_

Chapter 1: Devastation

Arcadia Bay: Population 1189-2015 census. No one would have ever expected a giant tornado to come crashing through the quiet coastal town that would seemingly end life as they knew it. One quiet Friday, midway through the summer, July 5th 2015, Arcadia bay died. But it didn't stay dead for long.

Everyone who died in the initial collision came back; they just came back...different. The word 'Zombie' isn't applicable here as they weren't exactly reanimated corpses, if anyone was killed in the collision, they stayed dead, they were the lucky ones. Anyone exposed to whatever chemical the tornado brought with it started exhibiting signs of degraded intellect and signs of increased rage. Eyes became bloodshot, skin became pale and senses became heightened to an inhuman level. People had proposed theories as to how and where the virus came from but they were just that, theories.

The Virus was able to spread via most stereotypical ways: Bites, cuts, grazes or similar circumstances and getting infected blood into your body. Infected blood was able to come into contact with skin as long as it doesn't enter the body via any orifice. For example nose, mouth, eyes, ears and open wounds.

The world went quiet as it looked to Arcadia bay; the Army was on sight and not long after had a perimeter fence around the remains of the town. Patrol boats cruised through the water, ensuring no one got in or out. Any attempt at both was met with lethal force.

Messages were broadcast everyday at twelve, assuring anyone who was left alive that the government was doing everything they could to ensure the safety of the United States and Arcadia bay. It said that as soon as they were able, they would liberate the town from what terrors plagued it and rebuild their lives to what they had once been. Naturally, no one believed it. If help was going to come, it would have been there by the end of July. We're entering the start of September and there are no signs of any change. Two whole months have passed at the only activity coming from Arcadia Bay is that from people scavenging, moving, surviving.

It was now the 5th of September 2015, Arcadia Bay non infected population-154, infected population-782, death toll as of September 4th-253. May God help us.

The Sky was dark despite it being ten in the morning; the weather of Arcadia Bay would most likely never be the same again. Thick, Smokey black clouds filled the sky and constantly rained ash from above. The sun's rays fought a losing battle as it tried to pierce through the thick clouds. On occasions, the odd streak would break through but that was a rarity that didn't often happen.

The roads were destroyed to the point where underground access would be available, enabling people to move via more routes. Buildings had two conditions; they were either inhabitable to the point that they were piles of rubble, or just battered enough to still be liveable. Most survivors found themselves grouped together in their own factions and spent their time in the same building. It was more practical and offered more security.

Some groups preferred the isolation of the forests and surrounding environments rather than a concrete building. To each his own but any sane person chose a brick structure with four walls and a roof (most of it). If you lived in the woods, your sanity seemed to have started to decline. Any form of coherent cooperation had degraded to a sub-par level, similar to old tribes.

As the day went on, two figures emerged from a ruined bank close the centre of the town. Both had backpacks, as did most people who ventured outside, it was the scavenger's most needed item. One held a stockless CYMA pump action shotgun while the younger held a generic wooden hunting rifle, complete with the scope.

The first was local security officer David Madsen. He had a black skullcap on his head, a green shirt with the sleeves rolled up that was covered by a bulletproof vest on his torso, as well as a pouch attached to the back of his jeans that held his shotgun shells, brown cargo pants that had knee pads on the respected knees as well as a pistol holster with a pistol on his right hip and a bandolier of pistol ammo around his left thy. Brown patrol boots on his lower portion of his body.

The second man was Kyle Garver; he was a young man, no older than twenty four who worked at the convenient store back when Arcadia Bay had one. He had messy brown hair that parted out from the middle of his head and just reached his ears. His white skin was masked by dirt and ash, making his brown eyes the only noticeable feature. Kyle had a faded red hoodie with a few rips in the sleeves and the pocket hung over itself. His blue jeans were a darker colour and were in good condition despite being dirty. His tanned hiking boots were probably the newest clothing addition he wore.

David took a knee after leaving the shop as he assessed the road in front of him. As he tightened his black combat gloves, Kyle crouched up behind him.

"Look kid, you don't wanna be rushing out of these buildings, you don't know what'll be waiting on the other side" David said, not taking his eyes off the road. "While you're busy looting, who knows what's happening outside. Any number of those things could have stumbled out here so you gotta be sure it's safe to move" Kyle nodded as he took in what David was telling him.

David was constantly scanning the buildings for any signs of movement, making sure there was no threat that could sneak up on them. Due to the constant ash fall, it was rare you'd see more than fifty feet in front of you but that was the reason David was always alert. He knew that just because he couldn't see anyone, didn't mean no one couldn't see him.

Kyle was naive on how things worked outside of their camp and had asked David to take him on supply runs with him so he'd have a better understanding of how to help out and survive outside. It was his second day and he was doing his best to remember what David was teaching him.

Once David was sure the street was clear, he slowly stood up and moved forward, hugging the buildings as he advanced. Kyle shadowed David from the moment they left the Two Whales. He knew that David was probably the best person to learn from.

Not long down the road, they encountered a van that had crashed into a power line, causing it to fall and block the road. David grunted as he crouched down and assessed the obstacle. Two cars had piled up cutting off one half of the street and the van had gone in lengthways, blocking the other half. Getting past it was going to be tough.

"Why do you crouch when you stop moving?" David asked as he thought of a way to pass.

"Uh, so you make yourself harder to spot" Kyle said as he turned around to watch David's back.

"Uh huh, now what are you tryna avoid?" David asked as he approached the van's driver door.

"Um, everybody; you're tryna avoid both people and Roamers" Roamers was a slang word that the group had come up with for the infected.

"Good, keep paying attention and you'll make it through this" David replied as he examined the inside of the van.

After a few minutes of thinking, David realised the only way through was to crawl across the front seats and out the other side. He dropped his bag and crawled through. Once he got to the other side, he pulled his shotgun across the seats and watched the road ahead. Once he was happy it was clear, he grabbed his bag that Kyle had passed through and waited for Kyle to join him on the other side. Kyle threw his bag to David and passed his rifle through before clambering to the other side.

Due to the power line having fallen onto the front of the van, the gap between seats was hard to navigate past. Kyle being the inexperienced young man he was, reached out and grabbed the steering wheel to pull himself through. As he got into the driving seat, he accidentally leaned into the horn as he jumped out of the van.

David shot him a look that could kill; Kyle's mouth hung open as he realised the stupidity of the mistake he had made. They both knew things were about to get a lot livelier.

* * *

Chloe Price sat on the top of the Two Whales Diner, looking out at the destroyed street below. Her attire was pretty similar to what she'd used to wear when the world was normal, the only change being a dark blue sweater instead of a tank top and a dark green trenchcoat over that. The zip was always open and the sleeves tended to be rolled up just before her elbows.

A lawn chair and parasol had been placed up to avoid any ash from smothering someone when they were sitting outside as well as sheets of tin that had been placed on the metal pole that surrounded the edges of the roof. They were put in place as a security measure more than anything.

Chloe took a long drag of her cigarette, closing her eyes to savour the moment. As she exhaled the smoke, she felt a hand rest itself on her right shoulder. Chloe placed her cigarette in her left hand and placed her right and on top of the one currently resting on her shoulder.

"You've been out here a long time, I was starting to get worried" Max Caulfield said in a low tone, everyone sounded depressed nowadays.

"Just thinking, I got a lot on my mind" Chloe replied as she rested her head on Max's arm before turning around to look at her.

Max looked the same as she normally did, the only thing different was a heavy brown jacket that had fur that lined the inside. This was made apparent by the faded white fur clumps that were visible from the neck hole of the jacket. Everyone needed to keep warm; since the collision, the weather had drastically changed. The temperature dropped immensely and any form of central heating had stopped working. Blankets, log fires and warm clothing were all that the survivors had.

"You can't blame yourself for what happened to Kate and Aaron, Chloe. It's not your fault"

"You don't get it Max, if I had just stayed and watched the door instead of-." Chloe cut herself off as tears started to run from her eyes as she started to cry"

Max quickly pulled her up from the chair and pulled her into a warming embrace. Chloe hugged Max back tightly as she cried into her shoulder.

"Chloe Price, I am not gonna tell you again, It. Is. Not. Your. Fault. It's happened, it's over and you need to move passed it. For the last two weeks, you've done nothing but feel sorry for yourself and it's pissing me off so stop" Chloe giggled at what Max was saying. Whenever Max tried to sound firm, she just sounded cute.

"You're right, two weeks is a long time and I gotta pull it together. Thanks Max, I really needed this" Max smiled at Chloe before leaning in and giving her a kiss.

"Come on let's get inside, the ash is coming down heavy today and Warren'll need help on the fence" Max replied as she led Chloe back into the diner.

The Two Whales saw some fortifications in the weeks following the tornado. A junk fence was placed across the entrance to the parking lot and ran to the other side of the diner, cutting off at the wall.

The cars that were in the parking lot made up the majority of the fencing, with bits of wood and tin added on to increase the height. Two junk shacks were constructed behind the fence; one for males and the other for females with the diner itself serving as the main concourse that everyone would spend their time in when they weren't doing any jobs to help the settlement.

The numbers of survivors had dwindled since the initial collision, leaving a fraction of the original group. Some were lost to the Roamers; others chose to leave of their own accord. The diner currently supported: Max and Chloe, David and Joyce, Warren, Brooke, Justin and Trevor, Juliet and Dana, Kyle and his brother Eric and Shane Campo.

Shane was an ex serviceman who usually assisted David on runs or patrolling the wall. He was older than most of the kids in the diner at age forty six. His dark hair was long and greying. His brown eyes were heavy and seemed to always be scanning the room, looking for any weak points, anything that could compromise the group's safety.

His faded brown baseball camp was always on his head, he was never seen without it, the same could be said for his rucksack. He carried spare ammunition, food and water with him at all times. His years in the army had taught him to always be prepared. He had a grey skiing coat that covered his top half, a pair of camo fatigue pants and his tanned service boots.

His M16 hung loosely in his arms as he walked along the fence, he was ready to give his life for the people at the diner.

Max and Chloe walked past him, giving him a nod as they made their way to Warren who was patching up a hole in a part of the wall.

Warren had a large blue coat with a furry hood on as well as a pair of brown cargo pants. He was crouching on top of a car bonnet as he hammered a plank of wood over the bullet holes that were in the wood.

A group of renegades had attacked the diner a few days ago in a desperate effort to kill the group and steal their supplies for themselves. Dana was wounded in the crossfire that was exchanged between the two groups. Justin had to hold Trevor back to stop him from running out and fighting the attackers then and there.

"Hey Warren, need any help?" Max asked as the two stopped next to him.

"Hey guys, nah, I should be good, just this section to go and I'll be done" HE replied as he hammered the nails into the wood.

"People are getting desperate" Chloe said as she shook her head. "The government should have been here weeks ago to help us, not letting us fend for ourselves"

That was a question that everyone had been asking far too many times. They were sick off fighting for their lives day in day out. Forced to kill people they once knew in order to survive.

"I couldn't agree more" Warren said as he climbed off the car "We just gotta hope something gets done fast or more shit like this will keep happening. We're lucky it was only Dana and it was just a graze" Warren continued as the three headed for the diner.

Tensions were rising, people were on edge and there was nothing anyone could do. People were struggling to survive and they had resorted to any means necessary. It was only just beginning.

* * *

Nathan Prescott sulked his way across his bedroom floor, slamming it behind him. His endeavour to kill a Roamer had gotten Hayden killed and it was his fault. He was trying to prove a point, show he was a big boy and that they were no match for him. He was wrong and someone else had paid the price. He broke down crying on his bedroom floor, the sense of guilt was too much for him.

The last thing Nathan wanted was to get his friend killed but it was too late. His little experiment had proved to be deadly.

Victoria slowly entered Nathan's room and sat on the floor beside him. She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him in close.

"Shhhh Nathan, it's ok, it's all gonna be ok" She said quietly.

"It's my fault, I just wanted to...and he was...oh my God" Nathan's crying became louder as he turned to hug Victoria.

The two had known each other for so long and might as well be brother and sister. They were always there for one another and had looked out for each other since the tornado destroyed everything.

Nathan, Victoria, Zach and some other members of their social group had found shelter in Nathan's mansion. It offered security and protection and was relatively safe dude to its elevated position at the top of the hill. They had lasted due to the size of Nathan's food reserves that his Dad had prepared should something like this happen. Nathan had no idea where his dad was, he could be dead for all he knew and he couldn't care.

They had weapons to protect themselves, a few handguns, the odd hunting rifle and Zach's old man's shotgun but it was a group of kids left to fend for themselves. There was no adults with them, they were on their own.

It had worked so far; people listened to Nathan as it was his house and Zach was like his enforcer, making sure everyone did as Nathan asked and kept the peace. Due to these circumstances, Nathan became the de facto ruler of their group. He did his best but he always relied on Hayden for support and advice. Something he couldn't do anymore.

They had dealings with the group at the diner but decided to avoid each other when possible. Nathan's trust issues didn't help their case and decided they would be better off on their own.

Nathan finally collected himself and stood up. He swallowed hard before looking at himself in the mirror. People were depending on him and he needed to be the leader they were looking at him like.

"Zach, get in here!" He shouted, grabbing his brown raincoat off the floor of his bed and zipping it up. The coat wasn't very heavy but was waterproof and warmer than it looked.

"Yo, what's up" Zach replied as he peered 'round Nathan's door, shotgun in hand.

"Grab you gear, there's something we gotta do" Nathan began as he slung his bag on his back as he walked past Zach. He had a plan.

* * *

David and Kyle ran through the destroyed Streets of Arcadia Bay, Roamers hot on their heels. The two men panted as they made their way down the alley they had ran into. Blood and muck covered them, showing signs of a scuffle they had just had with some Roamers.

"Get ready to climb!" David shouted, in response to the chain-link fence that blocked them off from the end of the alley.

Kyle jumped and climbed up the two metre frame as David stopped and threw his bag over before turning around. He fired once down the alley, catching a Roamer in the gut, killing him. Two more shells ejected from his shotgun as two more Roamers fell face down onto the cracked tarmac. David backed himself up until he was touching the fence, another shot rang through the air as a Roamers head came off.

"David, climb!" Kyle shouted, signalling that he was over the fence.

"David turned around and clambered as fast as he could up and over the fence. His heart racing as he anticipated his legs getting grabbed. This could be the end.

It was not the end and David realised that when his face hit the ground when he threw himself over. Kyle helped him up and handed him his bag before both men looked at the fence. It was rattling as the alleyway was caked with Roamers who were desperately trying to break it down.

"Dumpster!" David shouted as he gestured to a metal double lidded trash bin that rested up against the brick wall.

The two men dropped their weapons and pushed with all their might, ensuring that the dumpster made it to the fence. Their hearts were in their throats as the Roamers screeches and roars rang in their ears.

Once the dumpster was against the fence, they picked their weapons up and continued to run. Even though the dumpster would increase the stability of the chain-link fence, it wouldn't last. They weren't out of the woods yet and needed to keep moving. They'd bought themselves some time...for now.

* * *

 **July 5** **th** **2015, 5:16pm**

The sun was still high in the beautiful orange sky; Arcadia Bay was quiet as everyone was still recovering from the Independence Day festivities the day before. This would be the last time anyone would see the sky that colour again.

A man in a white suit and brown shoes stood next to the Arcadia Bay lighthouse as he looked out across the town. He ran his fingers through his grey hair before adjusting his tinted glasses. A smirk rested on his lips as he stood there, waiting for something to happen.

As if on cue, his phone rang. He took it out of his pocket and answered.

"Is everything ready? Good, begin project Chrysalis"

 _ **A/N:-So that's an end to the first Chapter; let me know what you think, if you like it, if it's shit and if you want to see more. I'm still on the fence about whether to continue it or not, depends on the feedback.**_

 _ **The reason I spent a lot of time on Character description is because I wanted to get that post apocalyptic sense across. The climate is different and people have to dress accordingly. Imagine the landscape like Silent Hill; foggy and ashy but also cold due to the sun being unable to reach the surface.**_

 _ **Things will seem a bit vague as the story has only just began so stick with it and see where it goes.**_

 _ **Follow/Favourite and Review, I'd really appreciate it. Any questions, go ahead and ask, I'll do my best to answer them. Until next time.**_


	2. Chapter 2-Dark Days

Chapter 2-Dark Days

 _ **A/N:-So I'll probably do another three or four chapters and see where I stand after that and what feedback I get. If you like the story and want it to continue longer than like five chapters, make it known. Review, follow and favourite it and hopefully it'll turn into a full time story.**_

Chloe sat at the diner bar as she waited for her mother to cook up dinner for the day. Most of the primary food had been eaten due to the expiry date but the tinned food they had was still amazing. The smell of beans filled the diner, causing Chloe's mouth to salivate slightly as she watched her mother cook.

The diner was filling up as everyone patiently waited for their food and the fact it was Joyce's cooking made it all the more better. Dana, Juliet, Justin and Trevor sat in one booth while Warren, Brooke and Eric, Kyle's brother sat two seats down from them. Max was in the bathroom but her seat was next to Chloe, as always.

Shane wouldn't eat with everyone else; he preferred to make sure the walls were secure and there was no threat sneaking up in them. He had no problem waiting for everyone to finish food first before he ate.

Thanks to David's own personal supply of stocked food as well as the diner's larder, there was an abundance of food for everyone to eat comfortably. This also made it a target to any rogue group that wanted what they had. In the weeks that followed, they were lucky to escape conflict with most survivors, only having to fend off three human attacks with the rest being Roamers. Killing Roamers was never a good thing but it was easier to do than kill another person.

Max returned from the bathroom and sat on the stool to the left of Chloe before locking her arm around Chloe's and hugging her. This made Chloe smile as she rested her head on Max's and closing her eyes. They were so lucky to have each other, especially in a time as hard as this.

"Ok love birds, food's here" Joyce interrupted as she placed a plate in front of each of the girls. Baked beans and pasta had never looked or tasted so good.

Despite the day being calm and quiet, Shane knew to expect trouble. No day was ever quiet and it was only a matter of time before something caused trouble. He scanned the outside of the walls with keen eyes; the wind whistled with the nothingness that was now Arcadia Bay. David and Kyle were sill not back and something seemed off; this was the main cause for his gnawing anxiety for the day. Shane wouldn't call himself paranoid, he would rather be safe than sorry. Helping everyone at the diner gave him a purpose, a way place where his skills would help people and that literally meant the difference between life and death.

Shane was so fixated on watching the streets below the barricade that he did not see Joyce walk alongside him.

"You need to eat, Shane" she protested as she placed a bacon roll down next to him. Joyce still couldn't stop being everyone's mother, even in the event of an apocalypse.

"I can eat later" Shane replied. His tone was dry and he didn't take his eyes off the street.

"We appreciate everything you do, really but you'll be no use to anyone if you've got no energy. You need to keep your strength up"

Joyce's words hung with him as he let out a sigh. Shane knew she was right but that didn't mean he was wrong. As Joyce walked away, he reluctantly picked up the sandwich and took a bite.

The atmosphere inside the two whales diner was warm and friendly; a complete opposite of the rest of Arcadia Bay. Outside, the air was thick with falling ash and the temperatures we lower than ever. The wooden barricades and concreate walls really were something to be grateful for. Everyone had grown up a lot faster than they would have liked but this place was their home and they wouldn't let anything happen to it.

Warren had really matured; he was no longer the shy, geeky boy everyone knew. Well…he still talked about films no one had ever seen before. Warren took it upon himself to do as many jobs as possible; from fixing up the barricade, to cooking food and even keeping watch from time to time. He couldn't shoot a gun for shit but his heart was exactly where it needed to be and that was what counted. Even now as he laughed alongside Eric and Brooke, he knew that there was work to be done, work to make sure everyone saw another day.

Brooke had always been cold; all the incident had done was prove how not making friends with everyone was the best decision she had done. She was far too cynical for someone her age but she saw it as a good thing. Brooke wold do only what she deemed necessary and not waste her time with things that seemed pointless in her eyes. Her aptitude for technology had been a life saver as she has been able to fix the boiler more times than one. She was able to fix up piping, connecting the gas mains that powered the stove to the housing shacks, allowing heat to travel between buildings. She may have been smug about it but that's what everyone loved about her.

Eric was fairly new to the group; he and his brother Kyle found shelter in the diner on the day of the incident and have been a part of the group ever since. Eric was sixteen and had just started his first year at Blackwell in the September of 2014. Despite everyone being two or three years older than him, they still treated him as an equal. Kyle was very protective of his brother and would usually take most of the heavy jobs for himself, allowing Eric to have safer chores like cleaning up the diner or pumping water. Eric didn't like being babied and was eager to prove himself. His lack of life experience made interactions awkward but he was trying and getting better at socialising due to always being around people. Even now as he told a joke, causing Brooke and Warren to laugh, he felt himself having a sense of belonging.

Justin might as well have not been aware of the incident as he was the same as he always was. Laid back and chilled out, his only concern was getting up in time for his shift at the water pump…which was at eleven in the morning. Despite not smoking weed as much anymore, his friendly attitude never faltered as he was always there to help the group when they needed it. His only regret was not being able to bring his skateboard with him when he ran for cover.

Trevor had surprised everyone with how much he had matured since the incident. His only concern was keeping Dana safe and making sure everyone had a safe environment to call home. As they ate food in the booth, he had his right arm wrapped around her, making sure she was safe. Trevor could handle more than other members of the group so he took it upon himself to move heavy items to and from places. He'd move boxes of ammo, chunks of wood and even sheet metal for the walls. He knew the only way they would get through this is if they played to each other's strengths and covered each other's weaknesses. Still, a joint would be nice to take the edge off.

Dana was coping as well as anyone could; she never expected something like this to happen. Her bubbly attitude had decreased since the incident and getting shot the other day didn't help. It was just a graze on her arm but she had spent a lot of time thinking about the what if's and what not's. She was happy she had a group of reliable friends with her, people she could count on and people she would help wherever she could. Since they lost Aaron and Kate, she decided someone should learn to patch people up in case something bad happens again. Ironically she was the one who was hurt.

Juliet had become sceptical but she wouldn't let anyone see it. Even now as she playfully rejected Justin's advances for the eighth time this week, she couldn't help but think mothing would be the same again. Everyone thought she would be the one to have answers or find a solution, instead she just became a shell of her former self as she tried to hide her fear. She was afraid of dying but more afraid of becoming what was lurking in the dead city.

Max had Chloe and Chloe had Max. The two wouldn't let the end of the world separate them ever again. They spend every second glued to each other and did whatever jobs they could do together. The nights were warmer when you had someone to cuddle but that was as far as it went. When you're sharing a room with like four other girls, you can't exactly fulfil you and your partner's needs. Still, Max and Chloe made the most of this and were gonna ride out the storm together.

As everyone finished eating, they brought their plates to the sink as Dana got ready to wash them. It was her turn and she didn't mind as it gave her something to focus on. Trevor didn't like it but he had to accept it. With a kiss goodbye he moved onto his chores for the day.

Max and Chloe were on laundry, Brooke was on stock take, Warren would be with Shane on the wall while Justin pumped the water. Trevor would be checking the integrity of the barricade with help from Juliet. He was trying to help her calm down and except that this was the world they lived in. it wouldn't be easy but he was willing to put the time in for his girlfriend's best friend.

As another day of hard work continued, the ash fell from the sky, covering Arcadia Bay in a veil of grey. Help wasn't coming any time soon.

* * *

Kyle panted as he threw himself to the floor. His lungs screamed at him as he opened his bag to find his bottle of water. David pulled an old bookcase down so it blocked the door from being opened, stopping the Roamers for as long as possible. They didn't have time to stop.

"David, we need…to get…diner…" Kyle muttered as he gasped for breath.

"Negative, we head back now and we lead this group right to our front door. We need to lose our scent" David said as he squatted down next to Kyle who offered the water bottle.

David took a hearty swig before passing it back and standing up. The Roamers weren't at the door yet but they would be soon. They needed to use this time to their advantage and get moving as soon as possible.

"How are we gonna do that?" Kyle asked as he stood up. He checked the ammo in his hunting rifle as he followed David around the building they were in.

"Well, this is a government funded office building, so that means there's sewer access nearby" David answered as he looked through the rooms. There was no noise, this building hadn't had people walk through its halls for a long time.

"The sewer, god knows what could be down there" Kyle protested as he turned around to make sure there was nothing behind them.

David stopped and waited for Kyle to face him.

"You wanna make it outta here? You need to be ready to do things you wouldn't normally do. I haven't been teaching you for nothing so switch on and do it!" David was getting frustrated, he was still annoyed at Kyle for triggering the Roamers in the first place and he didn't want him whining.

Kyle swallowed hard and nodded before David turned around to carry on. Kyle wanted to learn, to be more like David and Shane so he could keep his brother safe. If they had any hope of seeing their parents in California again, then it was up to him to make sure they both saw this through to the end.

David lead them to the stairwell; it was mostly intact but they were going down not up. As they descended the first flight of stairs, the painted white walls went to an unpainted concreate grey. The green flood lights were still on, in some capacity and there was maintenance equipment along the walls. As they reached the bottom of the flight of stairs, David scanned for the manhole that should be nearby.

Under the stairs lay the two men's hope for escape; David quickly picked up a crowbar off of the floor and pried the manhole open. Kyle watched until David managed to lift enough of it up so he could fit his fingers through and help him. The cover clattered to the floor with a loud noise. The noise was expected but what wasn't expected was the banging noise that was on the floor above. David and Kyle looked at each other before David urged him into the small opening. David dropped the crowbar down once Kyle was clear of the ladder and made his way into the sewer, pulling the cover back into place before he dropped from the ladder.

The two let out a sigh of relief as they realised the worst had hopefully passed.

"Here, you might need this" David said as he placed the crowbar against Kyle. David realised they were in close quarters and a hunting rifle would be a useful as tits on a fish down here. David could take point with his shotgun and Kyle would have a better chance to kill something with his crowbar.

"Are we safe now?" Kyle asked as they made their way along the musky underground corridor.

It was dark and had a green tint that you'd expect from a sewer. The only source of light was the small green floodlights on the floor and walls. It was a service tunnel rather than a waste conveyor so at least there was minimal water and no smell. Well, it didn't smell as bad as a regular sewer.

"Not yet" David replied, his gaze fixed firmly on the road ahead. "If we're lucky, they won't be able to get in, they don't have the cognitive function or the tools to lift that cover up. We'll stay under here for a few blocks and come up just short of the fishmonger shop. We'll wait a while in cover and see what's what. If those bastards haven't found us after ten-twenty minutes, we'll book it the remaining three blocks to the diner"

"Got it" Kyle said as he nodded.

He was slowly coming around to David's way of thinking. He could see how what he had said made perfect sense and how it not only kept themselves safe but also everyone at the diner. Kyle knew he had a long way to go before he would be able to go on runs without David chaperoning him but it was a start.

Kyle wanted to do more, aspire to be a better person and if that meant risking his life to improve his skills, he wouldn't shy away from it. It wasn't just his future he was fighting for, it was his brothers and everyone back at the diner. There had been enough death and devastation, Kyle wanted to put a little light back into Arcadia Bay, something it hadn't seen for a long time. Even now as he was down in these murky underground tunnels, he still held onto hope.

* * *

The massive carbon fibre fence that had been set up around the ruins of Arcadia Bay had to be patrolled by somebody. The military had set up four bases along the perimeter of the town. The Governor of Oregon had mobilised the National Guard the day the incident happened and within the week, they had set up the fence, established bases and conducted missions inside the fence. None of the soldiers liked going inside the fence as many who do, never return. Either being killed by Roamers or becoming one themselves, it was a router no one liked working.

So far 42 guardsmen, 13 troop transports, 6 tanks and two helicopters have been lost inside the walls of Arcadia Bay. The soldiers couldn't help but feel resent for the place as people they knew had been dying for nothing. If you survived your rotation inside the walls, you'd have to spend 48 hours inside a decontamination unit which was the most boring thing in the world. No one wanted to be there and had no idea what the eventual endgame was. 'Wait for orders from Washington' was all they got told when asked.

The officer in charge of the Garrison was Major Chapman; he was the only one who knew what was going on. There was speculation that he had shared this information with the other officers and even Sergeant Major Oakland, the duty NCO of the Garrison. Despite being the highest Ranking NCO at the garrison, he was down to earth and respected the soldiers he worked with. "You can paint shit gold, but it's still shit' he would say from time to time to remind everyone that even though he rubbed shoulders with the top brass, he was still a grunt.

There was regulated supply drops that were dropped into the town every day at dawn and dusk. These care packages contained things the inhabitants needed to make it through this dark time. Things like MRE's, survival blankets, flares and bottled water. The only problem was no one would share with anyone else. Survivors killed each other over these air drops but that was something that was out of the military's hands.

Soldiers debated on the point of sending these resources into what was designated as 'The Dead Zone'. Surely it would cost more to send this many supplies than to pull everyone out. Hell, there had even been talk about nuking the place. Everyone knew why that wasn't the cause, bad PR with the rest of America as well as the United Nations. All they could do was follow orders and hopefully some good would come of it.

The only Brightside of losing all those men and vehicles inside The Dead Zone was the specialist equipment that could be scavenged. Of course the rest of the soldiers didn't see this silver lining. The thought of someone desecrating their fellow soldier's corpse was something they didn't want to think about. As the day went on and the last group of soldiers to enter The Dead Zone finally emerged from the ruins of the city, all anyone could do is wait.

* * *

Shane had taken to teaching Warren how to shoot; or at the very least, improve his aim. He would talk to him about Marksmanship Principles as the stood atop the makeshift walkway, behind their barricade. The only thing Warren could do at this point was absorb the information as there was no time to do any practical training. If there was someone else to watch the barricade, Shane would take him around the back of the diner and build a makeshift shooting range. He'd never leave the barricade if David wasn't there; he knew the group needed at least one of them to be on alert.

Dana had finished the cleaning and was reading a book about first aid. She would often quiz herself on some things from time to time to ensure what she was learning was sticking. Her white parka was in the laundry room so for warmth she had opted for one of Trevor's sweaters. He wouldn't mind so long as he got it back.

Brooke was trying to teach Eric some form of maintenance so he could help her with the heating as well as keeping the stove alive so they could have food. He was useless but teaching him took Brooke's mind off of how terribly boring things were.

Trevor had made a small breakthrough with Juliet; she had been asking questions about the barricade and how to fix it. She didn't realise how much she needed a distraction and was usually too focused on how her pink skiing jacket looked great with her leather boots.

Max and Chloe had taken time to enjoy each other's company instead of doing the laundry they needed to do. They hardly had any time alone anymore so they took every opportunity they had.

Chloe's lips pressed hard against Max's as she lifted the smaller brunette onto the table. Max wrapped her legs around Chloe's waist pulling her in closer as she rubbed her back with her arms.

"I've missed this, and you" Chloe let out in a musky tone as she broke their kiss.

"Me too, I'm glad you're feeling better" Max replied in a quiet tone as she smiled back at her bluenette.

Just as Chloe went back in for another kiss, Warren could be heard shouting from outside.

"Open the gate, they're back!"

Max and Chloe looked at each other with a shocked expression. Their alone time had been cut short.

"Tonight?" Chloe asked as she put her green jacket back on.

"Ten thirty" Max replied with as she pecked Chloe on the cheek before the two girls headed to the source of the noise.

David and Kyle stumbled into the compound as the gate closed behind them. They both looked visually worn down and like they would collapse at any moment. David dropped his back on the floor while Kyle followed suit before gulping down the glass of water Joyce had placed in his hand. No one spoke as they waited for the duo to speak.

"What happened, what took you guys so long"? Chloe asked, breaking the silence. She wanted to know why her time with Max had been interrupted.

"Roamers, we…there were a few…had to get away" Kyle said in between gasps for breath as he headed for his younger brother before hugging him.

"Roamers, how did that happen?" Joyce asked as she took the empty glass of David.

"I-." Kyle was cut off.

"It was just bad luck, bound to happen sometime" David interjected, covering for the younger man.

"Well you're back now anyhow so let's see about getting you two something to eat, god knows you've earned it" Joyce said as she headed to the diner. "Someone else will worry about the scavenged supplies, you two have done enough for one day"

Justin and Trevor picked up David and Kyle's bags as the two headed to the diner. Brooke followed them so they could do an inventory check while the rest of the group dispersed. It was getting late and they couldn't risk anyone going out to grab the dusk drop from the National Guard. Shane had other ideas; idea's that involved him going out, alone. But for now, they could take comfort knowing two of their own had made it back safely.

 _ **A/N:-It's been a while since I updated this fic but am going to be shifting focus onto it more as I have had some random inspiration. Expect updates regularly, roughly within a week but I won't promise nothing as I want there to be quality in what I upload.**_

 _ **All I can say is Review so you can let me know if you like it or if you think its dog shit. Follow it if you wanna read more and Favourite the story if you wanna make me a happy boy and spend more time writing. Until next time.**_


	3. Chapter 3-The things in the past

Chapter 3-The things we've left in the past

The wind whistled through the shack that Chloe was sleeping in. The cold air seeped almost everywhere during the nights that followed since the incident. As Max lay sound asleep next to her, Chloe wrestled back and forth as her mind was plagued with the nightmare she couldn't stop having. The room was silent; the only noises being Brooke's faint snoring and Chloe's staggered breaths as her mind tortured her.

Darkness filled the room as well as Chloe's mind. The nights were always the time when the group was the most vulnerable and so was Chloe's mind. Sweat dripped down her face as she rolled around on her makeshift mattress, her hands twitching in all manner of directions. Her blue hair was bedraggled as she tossed and turned into the night, hoping to escape the torture that was her mind.

Anyone would think she was dreaming about the horrors that lurked outside but that was not the case. She was belting her demons, the ones that she knew all too well. Ever since the accident in the Arcadia Bay Super Shopping Mart, where Chloe saw Aaron and Kate for the last time. Even though she had moved on, her mind had not.

* * *

 **August 12** **th** **, 2015-Wednesday 10:37am**

Chloe took a long drag of her cigarette before flicking the butt to the floor and extinguishing it with her boot. She adjusted her trademark beanie before stepping inside the old Arcadia Bay Super Shopping Mart with the rest of her group. Max waited for her against the doorframe and walked alongside her when she entered. The smell of damp and mould of the old store hit Chloe immediately as she scrunched her face up in an effort to block out the unpleasant smell. The white walls had begun peeling as well as the isles being blocked off by fallen shelving. It was the picture of Post Apocalypse.

The two approached Aaron and David as they looked at a map of the store while muttering incoherently amongst themselves. Aaron held it in both hands as David illuminated it with his torch due to the lack of lights in the store, even the backup generators had started to fail. The only source of lighting was a few wall lights and the odd strobe light hanging by a wire or two.

Aaron turned around to look at the two girls as they approached to make sure it was indeed them and no one sneaking up on them. It all happened in slow motion as his head turned around. He looked just like Chloe remembered him; His black hair covering most of his forehead, stopping just before his right eye and the top off his ears. Those blue eyes that could pierce your very soul, his face had become thinner since the incident but that only made his cheekbones stand out more. He smiled when he realised it was his friends; that cheeky as fuck smile that could make anyone feel better if they needed to as well as a jawline that was so sharp, it could probably cut a Roamers head off.

Even his clothes were the same; as he turned back, Chloe could see the furry hood of his grey parka. The red waterproof trousers that covered his blue jogging bottoms ran all the way down to the ankles of his tanned hiking boots that were caked with mud. His AK47 was still slung over his right shoulder as he read the map. It was like Chloe was reliving it all over again except she couldn't move or do anything and that made it worse.

Chloe stood behind the two men as Max walked over to Kate who was off to the right of the group. She was kneeling down, looking at an old teddy bear that was lying in the grime and filth of the floor. Max placed her hand on Kate's shoulder as she stood up. Chloe could see the despair in her eyes as she hugged Max tightly, Kate was never the same since the incident. She always found herself upset over the little things that reminded her that all the purity was gone from the world.

Chloe's heart ached as she got another look at Kate when Max walked away. Again, everything seemed to go in slow motion as Chloe's dream-self stared at her. Kate was able to maintain her hairstyle through everything and Chloe was impressed. Her dirty blonde hair brought colour to her faded, stained white parka that she wore. Her black leggings were tucked into a pair of purple bed socks that stuck out of the top of her black Doc Martin boots. Aaron had bought them for her birthday and it was a reminder to her that there were still good people out there. She never carried a weapon; she couldn't bring herself to kill anyone. Her religious views stayed strong, shaken, but strong. She had Aaron to look after her anyway, he loved her so much that nothing stood a chance of hurting her.

"Ok everyone" David's voice brought Chloe back to full speed. "We need to hit the back of the store. If Shane's recon was correct, nobody has been able to get that far due to the debris in the way" everyone had congregated in front of him as he explained the situation "Chloe, I want you watching the door; melee weapons only, any noise could bring the whole place down on us"

Chloe nodded and pulled a hammer off of her waist.

"Any ugly fucker that comes near me is gonna meet mister claw" She jested as she spun the hammer around in her hand.

"Max, I want you to take Kate up these aisles on our right, see if there's anything you can find. There should be a pharmacy at the back of the store"

Max nodded as she holstered her 9mm glock 17 before gesturing the way to Kate that they would take.

"Aaron, you'll come with me up the back; I'll sweep, you clean. When we get to the back of the store, I'll need your help with all the shit that's blocking us off"

Aaron unslung his AK as he walked over to Kate and kissed her on the forehead.

"Be careful, I'll see you soon" his tone was different than the charismatic boy Chloe met a year ago. He was a lot dryer and softly spoken now. He still cracked jokes, just not as much as he used to. "Good luck, Price, I don't wanna get bit in the ass" he said as he touched knuckles with Chloe.

"Relax skinny, I got your back" Chloe replied as their knuckles parted.

"Ok, you all know what you need to do so let's make this quick and clean and be back home in time for Joyce's delicious burgers" David called out as the group went about their tasks.

Chloe lurked by the door, hammer in hand. She was telling her dream self to just stay by the door, not to move. She had one job and every part of her being was yearning at her to just stay put. Chloe wasn't like that, she got bored fairly easy and in a place like this, there was an abundance of things to look at.

The seconds passed to minutes and the sounds of her group rummaging around the store had fallen silent. They were too far away for her to hear any form of noise, just the occasional dropping of something. She was bored of counting how many panels were in a row before there was a break in one of them. So far she had only gotten to three whole panels before there was a problem with one of them. Whether it be mouldy paint, peeling paint or a hole in it, Chloe had seen them all. She was getting bored so she started to wander along the isle by the door. Most of the things had been taken off of the shelf but there were a few menial items left in the muck as she walked passed them.

Stopping halfway up the first isle, Chloe kneeled down on the floor and picked up and old box. It was faded white with blue and red paint along the border and a series of yellow, green and red mosaics on the four panels. The small winding handle gave it away as a Jack-in-the-Box and Chloe began to wind it up slowly, almost as if she didn't know what was going to happen.

She was telling her dream self to put it down and turn around; Aaron and Kate's lives depended on it. She was so busy with the toy that she didn't see the Roamer sneak in behind her. Blood dripping from its rotting mouth as it snarled before edging its way through the door. Its faded baggy clothes clung to its body as it inched closer and closer to Chloe.

The Jack-in-the-Box finally popped, causing Chloe to smile…but it didn't last. Seconds later, firm hands placed themselves on her shoulder and yanked her backwards, sending her hunting rifle flying off of her shoulder. Her shriek filled the air as she slid across the stained floor before the Roamer threw himself on her. Chloe quickly held her arms up in a desperate effort to keep the thing from biting her. Its top lip had rotted away, leaving a wide array of gnashing teeth on display as blood from its mouth sprayed everywhere.

The crazed, bloodshot eyes were eating away at her soul as she struggled to keep this creature off of her. Her hands were too busy holding the weight of the roamer off, stopping her from reaching for the claw hammer on her belt. It didn't matter, her hands were getting tired and she could feel that the end would come. She wished she had died then and there, rather than live with the guilt.

Just as Chloe's strength was about to leave her, David's boot finds the side of the Roamers head, causing it to fly off of Chloe. As the thing lay on its back, David sends a slug into its heard from his shotgun, causing what was inside to now be all over the outside. Chloe gasped for air as Aaron helped her up. The disappointed look on David's face changed to worry as load shrieks filled the air. The Roamers knew where they were and they were coming.

That's why Chloe was supposed to use the hammer if any Roamers appeared in the store, lack of noise to minimize the amount of attention they would bring to themselves. That gunshot would have attracted every Roamer for miles and they were all heading straight for the Arcadia Bay Super Shopping Mart.

"Run, now!" David bellowed as he turned to face the group, causing everyone to run to the back of the store.

"David, we need a way out!" Max called as they reached the rubble Aaron and David had been working to clear.

"We'll buy you time, get to the fire exit!" David called as he stopped running. He and Aaron stood next to each other in between two isles as they readied their weapons.

Their hearts were pumping as adrenaline surged through them, they were gonna be met with very unpleasant faces. As the first Roamer appeared in their line of sight, David shot it dead. More and more filtered through the aisles, trying to reach the group. The sound of gunfire and roars of the Roamers echoed throughout the store as Aaron and David held the line.

"I'm moving back, cover me!" Aaron yelled as he turned and ran back twenty metres or so. He stopped and loaded a fresh magazine into his AK before shouting "Now David!" and beginning to fire at the mass of infected in front of him.

David ran to join Aaron as he loaded fresh shells into his shotgun. The roamers were bloodthirsty, like they were possessed. They could hear aisles crashing down around them as the Roamers jammed each other together to try and get closer to the group of people.

"David, up there!" Aaron called out as he displaced for the second time. Roamers had found their way on top of the roof and were dropping in through holes in the ceiling.

The two men were at the pharmacy at the back of the store, the counter blocking their retreat any further. To their right, Max and Chloe had cleared the rubble and were working on opening the fire exit door. The snarls of the Roamers sounded louder and closer, Aaron and David really felt the pressure as they tried to keep them back.

"It's open, come on!" Max shouted from her position by the door.

As they turned to run, Chloe could be heard calling: "Wait, where's Kate?" Chloe's consciousness knew where she was and she knew how it was her fault. She knew that she had cost her and Aaron their lives.

Horror filled Aaron's mind as he looked around for her, while shooting the Roamers that were now oozing from all sides of the store.

"I'm here!" a voice cried from the pharmacy. "I'm stuck, the cart fell on me" She sounded desperate and was clearly panicking.

Aaron went to jump over the counter when he could here David say: "What the hell are you doing?"

"She needs my help, just go!" Aaron shouted back, over the sound of gunfire as he climbed over the counter.

"You better be right behind me!" David reluctantly shouted as he left Aaron and made his way to the exit.

David sprinted to the exit, doing his best not to look at the Roamers that were catching up to him. He could see Max and Chloe in front of him, shooting the pursuing Roamers in an effort to cover him.

He crashed through the door as Max and Chloe followed behind. As David shoved the door closed, Chloe tried to keep it open.

"We need to wait for Aaron and Kate!" She protested as she placed her hands on the handle.

Before anyone could say anything, an explosion rocked their heads as fire and debris could be seen blocking the fire exit.

"We need to go, NOW!" David shouted as he turned to run away. He was shocked, the thought of the two kids being trapped in that burning, infested hell hole affected him but he knew they had to leave before more Roamers turned up.

Chloe tried to fight passed him: "We can't just leave them, we have to do something!"

"They're gone Chloe, there's nothing we can do" David replied as he worked with Max to hold her back.

The last thing Max wanted to do was disagree with Chloe but she'd rather have Chloe kick and scream but still be alive to hate her for it later

As ash fell from the grey sky, Chloe Price screamed as she fought to save her friends. Tears ran down her cheeks as she crashed to her knees. The guilt was eating her as she watched the store get further and further away. She was no match for Max and David and was dragged away from the burning door as she cursed and screamed the heavens down. Her heart and mind plagued with guilt as she was hopelessly dragged away.

* * *

"NO!" Chloe bellowed as she shot up from her bed. She was covered in sweat and panting so fast, she could pass out.

The nightmare was over and she was met by Max looking her in the eye as she caressed her shoulders. Brooke, Dana and Juliet had also been woken up by the noise Chloe was making and were all staring at her. This was the third time she had this nightmare. Each time ended up with her waking up in a cold sweat, nearly breathless and each time, Max was there to comfort her.

"Chloe, it's ok, it's over" max said in a hush, comforting tone as she wrapped her arms around Chloe, pulling her into an embrace.

"Chloe let out a sigh of relief and returned the hug. It was over and she was thankful for that but she still couldn't forgive herself for what she did.

That was the hardest part about the end of the world, you lose the ones you love and care about. It's all a part of how everything went nowadays and it killed Chloe to know she was responsible. Without Max's support, Chloe would have had a hard time finding a reason to carry on, to live with the guilt. She was a survivor; she shouldn't still be here but for some divine reasons, she still was. That was the hardest part of still being alive, living with the pain of everything that has happened and everything you've done. Don't pray for the dead, they're work is done.

* * *

The damp air hung around Nathan as he trudged through the forest. The rain had stopped while he was scavenging and now the bleak, wet outside was ahead of him. Zach and Victoria followed closely behind as the navigated the lifeless trees of the woodland area they were walking through. Zach had a large hiking bag on his back where the scavenged supplies were placed in, his strong build made him the optimal pack mule for the group. He still wore his casual clothes, even with his sleeves rolled up on his striped hoodie. The cold didn't affect Zach as much as it affected everyone else.

Nathan had a regular blue rucksack where he carried a lighter share of the scavenge as well as supplies for himself such as food and water. His browny-yellow raincoat blended in with the forest and despite not being very thick, he was warm due to the thermal clothing he had on underneath his red jumper and blue jeans. Rather than opt for sensible hiking boots, Nathan wore his usual trainers. He didn't go outside much so he didn't see the need for them. He held his M9 Beretta tightly in his right hand as he moved. He was slightly paranoid before everything went to shit so now he was even worse.

Victoria was disgusted at the idea of yomping around the forest and spending all this time in the muck and filth. Her small tanned rucksack remained fairly empty as she let the boys do most of the heavy lifting. She wore a black fleece with a lilac scarf around her neck on her upper body and a pair of black leggings tucked into yellow socks and a pair of brown leathered hiking boots. She didn't expect it to be as cold as it was and her thin frame made it seem like she wasn't wearing anything. She knew Nathan needed to take his mind off of what happened with Haden so she'd be there for him regardless.

"Nathan, how long until we'll get back, my feet are starting to hurt" Victoria complained as she ducked under a decaying branch.

"Not long, we just need to get out of the woods and we'll be on the main road" Nathan replied, not taking his eyes off of the path ahead. "The walk to the school is a long one, but worth it. Wells comes through"

Nathan had a cosy little deal going on with the survivors that had holed up in the ruins of Blackwell Academy. He would take supplies off of Principle Wells and give him money in return. Nathan was smart and knew Wells had a greedy side, just like everyone in Arcadia Bay. No one could resist Prescott money and with some honeyed words from Nathan, Wells accepted the deal. Nathan managed to convince him that when they finally get free from the horror that is going on, Wells would have enough money to retire the money didn't do him any good right now. Nathan had to hope he would take the deal and persevere until it was all over.

The things that really mattered were food, water and bullets and Nathan knew tempting Wells' greedy side would make him have the better of the deal. Nathan would make the money back and stay alive to see his back accounts grow thanks to all the supplies they had essentially gotten for nothing. Money couldn't help you make it through the end of the world.

Zach stopped as they approached the edge of the forest, prompting the others to stop as well.

"What is it man, what do you see?" Nathan asked as he held his left hand out to signal Victoria to get close to him.

"Roamers, at least six of them" Zach responded before turning to face Nathan. "We'll need to find another way out, we can't risk taking them head on.

Zach was right; there were too many for them to try and dispatch silently and the noise of gunfire would attract more Roamers. They'd need to find another way out of the forest.

As Nathan processed the situation, he looked at the decaying trees around him. The scorched black bark looked far older than what the trees actually were and the washed yellow leafs were only present on some branches. They had been trying to grow back but how do you come back from this?

He thought of what everything was like before, who he was with before and how he yearned for it to be like that again. He knew the only way out that would be relatively safe would lead them on a detour but it was something he needed to do. There was someone he needed to see.

"Head east, we can come out on 5th and make our way up the central strip and circle around from there" Nathan announced as he looked at Zach.

"You sure, that will take us an extra 2 hours?" Zach replied as Victoria let out a quiet moan of annoyance.

"I don't fancy getting eaten, let's go!" Nathan ordered as he walked past Zach. He had made up his mind and he didn't care if they came or not.

* * *

Chloe exhaled as she took a drag of the cigarette that was resting comfortably in her left hand. She had been on edge all day since her nightmare and had spent the last three hours sitting under the parasol on top of the two whale's diner. Max had constantly been checking on her, making sure she was ok and that she had everything she needed but all Chloe wanted to do was be alone with her thoughts and admire the ash that was falling on the town around her.

The rain wasn't so pleasant to look at and even though it had stopped an hour ago, the ground was still wet and Chloe didn't find it as soothing as she did the ash. She knew she had to let go but after reliving it all over again, she just wanted to curl up and die. How do you live with yourself, knowing you caused two of your friends to die?!

"Hey, how you doing?" Brooke called out as she walked through the door that lead to the roof.

"Thinking" Chloe bluntly replied as she continued looking forward.

"You're pissing me off, you're the nutty Chloe Price, I hate seeing you all…dead like this" Brooke said as she stood next to Chloe.

Chloe just sighed as she looked down: "I know but-." Chloe tried to speak but Brooke, cut her off.

"No but's, come on Chloe, at least go and see Max, she's worried about you and you owe it to her for looking after you"

Brooke's argument was pretty convincing, Chloe did really want to see Max and figured it would do her some good as well as seeing what everyone at the diner was getting on with

Warren was with Shane on the walls of the diner; the two had been going over their daily lessons on shooting while David had a sit down with Kyle inside the diner to discuss guarding the wall. Warren wasn't trying to become some bad ass, he just wanted to help out a bit more.

It was different with Kyle and David; Shane and David needed the help and he was the oldest guy there. He welcomed the lessons as it would only benefit him in the long run as well as keep his brother safe. Kyle had a form of jitters whenever he did things like this; he was never big on violence.

David had been talking about what he would need to do when patrolling the wall and what to look out for. Going on supply runs was different from patrolling the wall so Kyle needed to know when to switch between the two and apply himself correctly. So far he had learned about what to do if he saw people he didn't know and what to do if people he didn't know approached. Today he would learn what to do in the event Roamers were spotted.

They were lucky in the fact that no Roamers bothered to attack them. Some had ventured over from time to time but never any hoard or large number. Their biggest problem was other people; people who would kill them for what they had as well as how secure they were. It's such a shame how in a scenario where humans should be banding together, they're so scared that they're killing each other over scraps of food or a place to sleep.

"Hey, we got people out here!" David and Kyle could hear Shane calling from outside. The two picked up their weapons and headed to see what was going on.

As they emerged from the diner, everyone was gathered in small huddles, waiting to see what was going on. David and Kyle climbed up the makeshift staircase to see who or what was at their walls and they were shocked when they saw a tired Nathan Prescott looking back at them who looked like he had something to say.

 _ **A/N:-Ok, I'm sorry for this chapter being a little short, I just wanted to move onto the actual horror element that this story is about. Please be patient, the first few chapters are gonna be slow as everything is set up but the horror and unpleasantries will come.**_

 _ **I've had a few people asking about Aaron and Kate so I thought that I would show you what happened in a form of a nightmare that Chloe suffers from. Make your own decisions about what happened to them and wait to find out if you're right or wrong.**_

 _ **As you read the last part of this chapter (the part that starts with Brooke and Chloe) I'd recommend listening to Safe Place by Capsize in the background as that was the song that came on while I was proof reading. It wasn't what I was listening to as I wrote but hearing it set the tone and made everything feel so different. I would seriously recommend doing that when you get to that part of the story.**_

 _ **Please give me more feedback on what you think about how the style of this is going and let me know if there is anything you want me to change it keep the same. A Review, PM, Follow and Favourite is immensely appreciated and I cannot thank you enough!**_


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